BLADES PAGE: Raymond returns after rough stint in AHL

Florida Everblades' Bobby Raymond guards Everblade ice against South Carolina Stingray's Ryan Del Monte during the second period of Wednesday nights match-up at Germain Arena. Jason Easterly/Special to the Daily News

ESTERO - After emerging from essentially nowhere to help the Binghamton Senators to a Calder Cup title last season, Bobby Raymond figured that 2011-12 would be his season to open eyes in the American Hockey League.

Raymond, a defenseman, was the only player to appear in every game for the Everblades last season. When the Kalamazoo Wings eliminated the Everblades, Raymond figured his year was over. But the Senators gave him a chance and he delivered, seemingly setting the stage for a breakout this year.

Unfortunately for Raymond, that's not exactly how it has gone.

This year, he's played in only 38 games for the B-Sens and has spent a number of games watching from the stands.

"It's a feeling that I definitely wasn't used to," Raymond said. "It's tough because as a competitor you want to be out there playing."

With Binghamton struggling and already out of the playoff picture in the AHL, Raymond was finally given a chance to go somewhere where regular ice time is an option — back with the Everblades.

"Not many guys are happy when they get sent down," Raymond said. "But when you're not playing you just want to be somewhere that you can get an opportunity, so I'm smiling now that I'm back here."

Earlier in the season, Raymond was assigned to the Everblades for a few brief stints. On both of those occasions he impressed, scoring two goals and recording three assists in eight games.

On Friday, he was back in the lineup for Florida as the Everblades rolled to a 9-3 victory over Kalamazoo. Florida coach Greg Poss said adding a player of Raymond's caliber at this time of the season is huge.

"He helps us a lot," Poss said. "He wins puck battles, he gets pucks out, he's strong and he does a lot of little things that helps us win."

Raymond's solid play makes his struggles to see ice time with Binghamton even more puzzling. Because many of the players from last year's Calder Cup championship team moved up to the NHL or to other teams, the Senators were forced to play a more defensive-minded style. While Raymond is a defenseman, he's a strong skater with solid two-way ability.

The change in style limited Raymond's ability to trust his instincts, causing him to get caught up thinking on plays, rather than just reacting.

"With the new style of play it was really tough," Raymond said. "It's not conducive to my style of play and I wasn't playing with my instincts, I was thinking too much."

While Raymond said he wasn't completely lost on the ice, he said it was just small mistakes that were affecting his play.

"Sometimes it just takes a fraction of a second of hesitation," Raymond said. "You're thinking about what play to make rather than just making it and by that time it's too late."

With the Senators just playing out the string, Raymond said being dropped into the middle of a playoff race is exciting.

"We're pretty much in the playoffs already," Raymond said. "Every game matters for us right now and as competitors, that's what we love. We love the pressure and if you don't like, you're probably doing the wrong thing."

He added that as he watched the Everblades roster transform as the year went along, he was shocked to see the amount of talent the team has accumulated.

"The skill level on this team is amazing," Raymond said. "We're so deep at so many different positions that if we start winning games, people are going to fear us."

While it looks as if Raymond could be with the team for the rest of the year, Poss said that even if he's not that he will make the team better in the games he does play.

"We're excited to have him for every game we can," Poss said. "… He's made huge strides from last year and it's because he's such a hard worker."